Newsweek
recently indulged in tabloid journalism, featuring Oprah on the cover
with the headline: CRAZY TALK, Oprah, Wacky Cures, & You. The specific
emphasis of the article was an attack on Suzanne Somers, Oprah, and
bioidentical hormones. The Genie is out of the hormone bottle, consumers
are confused, the medical profession is in its typical funk, and somewhere
out there is the health-improving truth.

One
of the authors of the Newsweek article has her own “traditional”
book on menopause and the other is a male in his early 40s – neither
has any clinical experience in the subject and can do little more than
toss insults and reference conventional points of view on hormones.
Newsweek is desperate for sales and is hoping the millions of Oprah
followers will purchase the magazine.

Traditional
medical people find it extremely annoying, even alarming, that Suzanne
Somers and Oprah have generated such massive interest in the subject
of bioidentical hormones. After all, there is a legion of baby-boomer
women who have no interest in getting older any faster than they have
to. Are bioidentical hormones really the “juice of youth,”
as Suzanne Somers calls them?

The
mafia-like FDA has gotten into the fray, attacking compounding pharmacies
at the bequest of pharmaceutical competitors. Indeed, the compounding
industry hasn’t ponied up its bribery fees to the FDA. The FDA
can’t tell anyone how to practice, but they can regulate health
claims and availability of bioidentical hormones.

As
a clinical nutritionist I have helped women with bioidentical hormones
for over twenty years. I am a believer in the appropriate use of bioidentical
hormones, and have witnessed their power to help first hand on many
occasions. However, there are clear pros and cons that any woman should
fully understand prior to using any type of bioidentical hormone.

Traditional
Western Medicine – Lacking Credibility on Female Hormones

Before
pointing out what is potentially problematic about bioidentical hormones
I must point out what is wrong with the typical group of Western medicine
critics. Those supporting this belief system have a recent history of
killing and injuring tens of thousands of women with their “official”
and FDA-sanctioned use of hormone replacement therapy. In my view, these
people have little credibility and should instead be standing trial
in a court of law.

And
I don’t just mean Wyeth, a primary producer of estrogen replacement
therapy (ERT) derived from horse urine, who is still fighting 5000 cancer
lawsuits. I’m talking about the prescribing physicians, who often
browbeat women to tears if they didn’t want to go on estrogen
and progesterone drugs – while selectively ignoring or downplaying
the substantial body of risk data that existed prior to 2002.

The
FDA can also be thrown into this group of incompetents, as they approved
horse urine extract and sat by haplessly watching as women were killed
and injured – a problem that continues to this day despite stepped-up
FDA warnings.

A
major setback for ERT marketing occurred back in July of 2002. Data
coming from the Women’s Health Initiative showed that a combination
of estrogen from horse urine and non-bioidentical progesterone increased
the risk of invasive breast cancer by 26%, strokes by 41%, heart attacks
by 29%, blot clots by 100%, and total cardiovascular disease by 22%.
Based on the 6 million women taking these drugs in 2002 (2 billion in
sales), the data suggests that during only one year there were an extra
4,800 cases of invasive breast cancer, 4,200 heart attacks, 4,800 strokes,
and 10,800 blood clots – including 4,800 life-threatening blood
clots in the lungs.

Remarkably,
Wyeth still sells 1 billion dollars worth of horse urine extract a year,
and they continue to try to spin their estrogen/progesterone drugs as
safe. Making matters worse, the marketing of these drugs was based on
fraud in the first place.

There
were only a few thousand women taking estrogen back in 1966. That number
changed dramatically with the release of the book Feminine Forever,
by Dr. Robert A Wilson, a New York gynecologist. In the book Dr. Wilson
attributed all undesirable aspects of aging to a lack of estrogen –
while downplaying and trying to explain away the troubling link to cancer.

Dr.
Wilson quit his practice and set up a foundation to promote his ideas.
He and his wife went around the country giving seminars and his book
received wide media coverage in major magazines. The book became one
of the first off label marketing pieces, freely given out to doctors
as a promotional tool.

What
was not known at the time was that the drug company that is now Wyeth
(Ayerst Laboratories) was funding the foundation.

Throughout
the 1990s I was an outspoken critic of ERT – a minority view that
was based on basic science the medical profession couldn’t seem
to grasp.

It
was well established that increasing a woman’s exposure to her
own estrogen, such as starting
menstruation before age 12, increased the risk of breast cancer.
Anything that produces higher
serum levels of estrogen places a woman into this risk. It was basic
common sense that extending a woman’s exposure to estrogen through
ERT was going to place her into a similar risk pattern due to extended
estrogen exposure.

Female
cancer risk, especially breast cancer risk associated with estrogen
replacement therapy had been reported for many years, and was extensively
reviewed back in 1999. This data did not deter a majority of doctors
from prescribing and pushing ERT on women with menopausal symptoms.

Even
worse, the typical dose of estradiol at that time was .625 mgs taken
every day (today it is .3 mgs). In normal menstruation a woman is exposed
to .4 mgs of estradiol for a few days every month around her ovulation.
Thus, this Wyeth-promoted prescribing practice exposed women to much
higher levels of estrogen than she ever made naturally. Furthermore,
the Wyeth product also contains all sorts of horse estrones that are
totally unnatural for a woman. The FDA twiddled its thumbs.

Another
common problem with ERT (and birth control pills for that matter) is
weight gain, which doesn’t always happen to everyone but happens
so often that it is a major concern. Doctors used to tell women that
ERT was good for their heart even while they were gaining 15 pounds
– it just didn’t add up – credibility was woefully
lacking. Weight gain, especially after menopause, is also linked to
an increased
risk of breast cancer.

I
should also point out that the actual risks of birth control pills are
still unknown, even though they have been used by millions of women
for decades. One recent study presented at an American
Heart Association meeting showed that for every 10 years of birth
control pills there is a 20 – 30 percent increase in peripheral
artery small plaques.

It
is also known that women have ten times the rate of autoimmune disease
as men – due to imbalanced and excess levels of estrogen. This
is because estrogen (estradiol) suppresses T suppressor cells, leaving
them out in the circulation longer and more likely to adversely react
to inflamed tissue. It wasn’t long before lupus
was reportedly caused by women taking horse urine extract. This information
is likely to apply to any autoimmune disease – if researchers
bothered to study the issue.

The
medical use of ERT, as pushed by various drug companies, condoned by
the FDA, and adamantly pushed on many women by doctors, was a clear
violation of the most basic creed of a physician to first do no harm.
It is an example of a lack of intelligence and inability to predict
the obvious consequence of known principles of biochemistry relating
to the drugs they prescribe, a problem that continues to plague their
Big Pharma-sponsored profession.

Any
woman seeking to understand how to use bioidentical hormones to support
her health should also understand this history, and know that the FDA,
drug companies, and the medical profession itself have very little credibility
or useful information to offer on this subject. Thus, the trite phrase
to “consult your doctor” on the subject of female hormones
is a pointless waste of time and may even be dangerous to your health.

Female
Hormone 101

I
view the safety issue surrounding bioidentical hormones as one of consumer
education. There are a number of essential points any woman should clearly
understand about what her body is doing and what that means. Let’s
begin at the beginning, with a basic understanding of hormones and general
health.

In
the first two weeks of your menstrual cycle your brain releases a hormone
signal called FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), which travels to your
ovaries and ripens an egg. As your egg ripens it releases estradiol,
a form of estrogen required for normal reproductive function. As estradiol
levels rise in your blood it signals to your brain that an egg is ripe.
Once your brain knows this it switches to an androgen signal called
LH (luteinizing hormone), which stimulates the release of your egg.
For the second half of your menstrual cycle the follicle that was housing
your egg now produces progesterone (from what is called the corpus luteum).
Progesterone helps attach protein to the wall of your uterus should
you become pregnant. Estradiol is coordinating the proliferation of
tissue that makes this process possible.

If
you are not pregnant then progesterone production stops, in turn starting
the sheathing of the protein build-up off the wall of your uterus –
which is your menstrual cycle.

Your
menstrual cycle is energy intense. You have to put a steak dinner’s
worth of protein onto the wall of your uterus every day. If you don’t
eat enough protein, especially the week before your menstrual cycle,
then your body will take apart muscle proteins and even the neurotransmitter
proteins that keep your mood elevated. A lack of dietary protein is
the most basic nutritional reason for a poor mood associated with PMS.

In
addition to protein other foods most commonly lacking from the diet
of any woman with any type of PMS are fruit, vegetables, and essential
fatty acids. The greater the junk food and sugar content of her diet,
the more likely there are to be problems. As stress and/or physical
demands increase, problems multiply and dietary weaknesses become more
important.

Anorexia
and excessive exercise are two issues in young women that reflect inadequate
protein nutrition for the menstrual cycle, typically resulting in no
cycles, erratic cycles, or skipped cycles.

On
the other hand, as a woman gains weight then the efficiency of hormone
signals, including signals to her ovaries, are less efficient and more
at risk for problems developing.

Other
basic nutrition includes B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and iron. B
vitamins are needed to assist protein to work correctly, as well as
to help offset stress. Calcium and magnesium are vital for a pain-free
menstrual cycle, and along with essential fatty acids their lack is
the most common reason for menstrual cramps. Iron is often lacking in
women who eat little or no red meat, who exercise a lot, or who have
heavier menstrual cycles. A lack of iron will cause fatigue that is
aggravated as the menstrual cycle progresses and can produce almost
every symptom of hypothyroid, including weight gain.

A
goal that reflects health is that your menstrual cycle comes and goes
every month with a minimal amount of trouble or distraction. Your menstrual
cycle receives a higher demand for nutrition than any other system in
your body, as this is all about survival of the human race. It is a
monthly test of how well you did ALL MONTH LONG managing your overall
health.

If
you are approaching menopause and you have a long-term history of problematic
menstrual cycles, you have more risk associated with the use of estrogen
to suppress or modulate uncomfortable symptoms. You are also more likely
to have more hot flashes.

What
is Estrogen Dominance?

Any
woman of menstrual age, including women who are pre-menopausal, should
do everything in their power to reduce the symptoms of estrogen dominance.
This is vital for reducing the risk of any type of female cancer and
autoimmune disease.

The
symptoms of excessive estrogen are any of the following: heavy menstrual
cycles, excess clotting with menstrual cycle, abnormal bleeding/spotting
between cycles, breast swelling and tenderness, fibrocystic breasts,
endometriosis, fluid retention, or headaches with cycle.

Oftentimes
women with a history of estrogen dominance end up with a partial or
complete hysterectomy. Gall bladder problems are also typical, as surplus
estrogen super-concentrates cholesterol in their gall bladder causing
sludge and stones. Cellulite is always made worse by excess estrogen
and in some cases estrogen dominance problems may be the cause of cellulite.

The
following is a list of the primary topics that contribute to or cause
estrogen dominance, besides the basic nutritional deficiencies listed
in the previous section. Many women have problems in all of these areas.

1)
Extra pounds of fat.

Fat
cells produce another form of estrogen called estrone. Think of estrone
as a buffer to help regulate blood levels of estradiol. In other words,
estradiol can be converted into estrone to “store it” and
estrone can be converted to estradiol to “make it active.”
Having a back up system to maintain levels of needed estradiol for reproductive
purposes is vital.

Remember,
women have a naturally higher percentage of body fat than men so as
to have the available energy to feed a child – a survival necessity.
Fat serves multiple roles in this grand plan. Gaining extra weight messes
this up, not only producing excessive amounts of estrogen, but hormones
in general become resistant to normal communication with each other.
This sets up a highly inflammatory and pro-carcinogenic health-risk
situation.

Problems
with excessive amounts of the fat-hormone leptin drastically aggravate
ovarian function and can make female hormone function miserable (such
as causing polycystic ovarian syndrome). Losing weight in a healthy
way, if overweight, is vital for normal female hormone function.

2)
Estrogen-like chemicals.

Estrogen-like
chemicals pose a grave threat to female and male health. Bisphenol A
from plastics is one example, many of the pesticides used on food is
another, and Monsanto’s PCBs are yet another. These tend to absorb
into fat and interact with estrogen receptors. They likely play a large
role in the earlier onset of menstruation in young women, and they certainly
pose a serious female cancer risk – especially in women with genetic
susceptibility.

Compounds
that protect your liver and help you clear these toxins are now general
dietary recommendations simply for protection – since our government
has no guts to make any big company clean up their environmental trash.
Nutrients like Milk thistle extract, chlorella, and R-alpha lipoic acid
are top choices, as is the dietary intake of a wide variety of vegetables.
The greater an individual’s chemical sensitivity, the more likely
there are to be problems with toxins and adverse female hormonal interactions.

3)
The failure to clear estrogen – digestive problems.

Estrogen
levels peak mid cycle and are then cleared out of your blood by your
liver. Your liver binds estradiol to another compound, a process known
as conjugation. This package is then sent through your bile, through
your gall bladder, into your digestive tract, and hopefully out. A major
problem occurs when there is an overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria in
your gut – typically reflected by symptoms of gas, bloating, constipation,
irritable bowel, etc. In this situation the bacteria can “eat”
the conjugation bond, causing estradiol to be released in your digestive
tract and to re-enter your general circulation.

This
problem is a common source of excess estrogen. It is almost always happening
in cases of inappropriate estradiol-drive tissue proliferation like
endometriosis, as well as cyst formation – and of course cancer
risk. Extra dietary or supplemental fiber and acidophilus are basic
steps to help. Digestive problems may need a more significant strategy
for improvement – and solving them is vital to female hormonal
health

4)
Pregnancy.

Even
a healthy pregnancy can act as a jolt to hormone balance. While some
women find their menstrual cycles actually run better after pregnancy,
far more are likely to find symptoms of estrogen excess have now begun
even though they did not exist prior to pregnancy.

In
essence, the routine demands of pregnancy are a form of stress to metabolism,
thyroid function, and female hormones. The typical result is a lack
of progesterone, described next. However, full energetic and metabolic
repair following pregnancy is always a good idea, so that pregnancy
is not noted as the time when your health started to decline (a common
finding for many women). This is oftentimes quite a challenge as women
try to juggle the demands of children, working, sleeping adequate hours,
and maintaining good self-care habits like exercise.

5)
The lack of progesterone – too much stress.

One
function of progesterone is as a natural balancing compound to estradiol.
The precursor compounds for progesterone production are also used to
make adrenal hormones that combat stress. If stress is too high, or
a person is too malnourished, progesterone may be converted into stress-fighting
hormones. Unfortunately, this leaves estradiol levels high due to the
relative lack of progesterone.

By
supporting adrenal health and managing stress better, progesterone is
spared this fate. Almost every woman knows that if she has had a more
stressful or physically demanding month, then symptoms of PMS or menopausal
hot flashes are likely to be worse. Basic nutrition for adrenals includes
higher dietary protein, B vitamins – especially pantethine, vitamin
C, Q10, and essential fatty acids like DHA.

Bioidentical
Progesterone Can Help

Over
the past three decades the use of bioidentical progesterone cream has
been a popular health option to help women overcome issues of estrogen
dominance as well as symptoms of menopause, an approach made popular
by John Lee, M.D. In order to maximize the likelihood that such an approach
could be of use to you it is important to understand your overall health
(are you estrogen dominant and why), as well as the dose and type of
progesterone to use.

Bioidentical
progesterone is available in OTC creams, through compounding pharmacies,
and by traditional prescription.

There
are also non-bioidentical forms of progesterone drugs which are very
dangerous and should never be used. It has been demonstrated that non-bioidentical
progesterone increases the risk of cancer, whereas bioidentical
progesterone has the opposite effect and is protective.

Progesterone
drugs like Wyeth’s Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate), which
was implicated in the Women’s Health Initiative study along with
horse urine extract, exist so that drug companies can patent something
to sell, not because it is good for your health. Provera is not bioidentical,
and is associated with highly toxic side effects including almost every
symptom of estrogen excess!

The
OTC creams have been on the market for three decades – and I personally
have used them with thousands of women. Bioidentical progesterone is
synthesized from wild yam. It is from a natural source. It is now synthetic
and bioidentical, meaning it was changed from the precursor molecules
in wild yam into the identical progesterone hormone that your body produces.
Most OTC products contain 20 mg of progesterone per ¼ tsp.

These
products fall into a gray regulatory area as far as the FDA is concerned.
The FDA allows them on the market as cosmetic moisture creams. Companies
selling them cannot explain that the progesterone (or estrogen in the
case of an estrogen-containing cream) is absorbed or has any effect
on a woman’s health. Otherwise, the FDA will view that company
as selling an unapproved drug. In other words, the FDA allows the cream
products on the market but doesn’t want you to understand how
to use them. This is of course better than not being on the market at
all – and there is legitimate concern the FDA could reverse its
decades-long policy – which would be detrimental to the health
of many women who rely on these creams for noticeable health benefits.

While
studies on progesterone creams show them to be safer than drugs, their
effectiveness at quenching menopausal symptoms is up in the air. A number
of studies support
benefits, and others
do not. This is because studies do not separate women according
to their overall health and degree of estrogen dominance, health history,
etc. In other words, the source of many estrogen dominance issues is
not a lack of progesterone and a woman would be better off addressing
such an issue or at least working on it while simultaneously trying
some progesterone. Progesterone will never be a “one stop solution.”

As
can be seen from the previous section on estrogen dominance, any woman
could be having multiple reasons for estrogen excess. These symptoms
will have a monthly severity – how bad are they? They will also
have a trend – how long have they been going on? Simply giving
progesterone may or may not work. The best approach is improving any
obvious issues that could be causing estrogen excess. The use of progesterone
would be part of an adrenal, thyroid, and stress support protocol, not
the only thing being done. Many times, women would find they don’t
need any progesterone when their adrenal function, thyroid function,
and stress demands are in better shape.

Another
key to the safe use of bioidentical hormones is to use an amount that
is at or below what your body would normally produce. For example, during
the second half of your menstrual cycle your ovaries produce around
25 mg of progesterone a day.

It
is not known exactly how much progesterone is absorbed through the skin
creams; however, it is likely to be less than half. One study using
40
mg of progesterone cream each day found that blood levels never
rose higher than normal production, while being very effective at reducing
the symptoms of menopause. Another study showed that 80
mg of cream per day raised blood levels similar to a 200 mg oral
capsule of the prescription drug.

There
are three basic menstrual situations for any woman using progesterone;
a) she is having regular cycles, b) she is no longer having cycles,
c) she is in limbo land and never knows if or when the next cycle will
come.

Progesterone
cream for regularly menstruating women of any age can be a miracle.
It is extremely beneficial for almost any symptom of PMS or estrogen
dominance – especially nasty menstrual headaches. 40 mg of progesterone
cream has been shown to be protective against surplus
estrogen exposure. As such, it is always worth a try for any woman
who is having difficulties. In my experience it is likely to be of help
more than 75% of the time, especially when used as part of a program
for overall health improvement.

Most
women use ¼ tsp per day from day 14 of the month (day 1 is the
first day of your period), until day 28 (or the day your period starts).
Some women find it helpful to go to ½ tsp per day from days 21
– 28, to help with stubborn symptoms.

It
is relatively easy to judge if such an approach is helpful or not. The
most common side effect is getting a headache (rather than getting rid
of one). Other women find that it just doesn’t help or may even
seem to aggravate symptoms. In such cases, the progesterone obviously
isn’t working, so don’t use it.

Common
sense tells you that if it helps, and you are using a dose that is at
or below what your body naturally produces, then you have found a safe
support system for hormonal balance. If that isn’t happening,
even if you have a lab score with low progesterone or all the symptoms
of estrogen dominance, you need to find a different solution. Don’t
go on month after month doing something that isn’t helping.

During
menopause, especially to help lower hot flashes and support mood, it
is typical to try ¼ to ½ tsp of progesterone every day.
Once again, this either helps or not. If you can’t tell a significant
benefit, free of any undesirable side effect symptoms, then I wouldn’t
use it. It is far more typical that progesterone is more helpful than
not – but if for some reason it isn’t doing the job then
move on to something else.

Women
with erratic menstrual cycles during menopause will often use progesterone
to stabilize mood and help hot flashes, and they typically use it every
day. In some cases your body may be trying to run a menstrual cycle,
and you could be feeling bloated or like a cycle is trying to come but
it just isn’t happening. This is a sign to try stopping the progesterone
for a few days, which will often allow a menstrual cycle to occur.

Many
women also use progesterone as part of a natural bone support program,
since progesterone helps activate the osteoblasts that build bone. A
study of postmenopausal
women has shown that in women with osteoporosis the use of progesterone
prevented further bone loss. However, women also taking soy negated
the beneficial effects of progesterone (soy is also anti-thyroid).

You
do not need a lab test to measure your progesterone if you are following
the guidelines I have laid out above and you are keeping your use of
the hormone within a natural level of your body’s production and
you are paying attention to whether it is helping. Ideally, you should
be simultaneously working on improving your health in general and not
just relying on progesterone to fix your problems.

Summary

Progesterone
is the most commonly used bioidentical hormone, with over three decades
of use in the United States. In order to get the most benefit from using
this hormone you should understand the subject of estrogen dominance
and what factors may be contributing to any problem you are having.
It is well advised to work on these issues, along with any use of progesterone.
It is safest to use any bioidentical hormone at or below the level your
body naturally produces. Higher levels are unpredictable and as unnatural
as hormone drugs.

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The
second part of this article explains hormones and aging in greater detail,
including the risks associated with growth hormone, DHEA, and testosterone.
The safe use of estriol is explained, the only form of estrogen replacement
women should consider. For part two click below.

Byron
J. Richards, Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist, nationally-renowned
nutrition
expert, and founder of Wellness
Resources is a leader in advocating the value of dietary
supplements as a vital tool to maintain health. He is an outspoken
critic of government and Big Pharma efforts to deny access to natural
health products and has written extensively on the life-shortening and
health-damaging failures of the sickness
industry.